Bedtime
by AniLovesMe
Summary: When Serena spends the night at a hospital, it's just Reeny and Darien at home for the night. But Reeny will do anything to keep from going to bed. Will Daddy finally be able to get her to go to sleep?


**My first Darien/Reeny story!! I think it's cute! Please let me know what you think of it. This is also the only story I've ever finished... Yay for me!! It's just a little one-shot, but still! Don't worry, I'm working on my other ones... and thanks to all my lovely reviewers/subscribers/favoriters on those two stories!! Sorry I've been keeping you waiting but don't worry I've been working them. Expect an update soon. Reeny and I currently have the same problem: We can't sleep! It's 3:30 AM right now... heh...**

**Enjoy and please review!**

Prince Darien was in his room lying on the bed. It was ten o'clock in the evening and he was reading, as was his usual routine. The small lamp on his nightstand was the only thing lighting the room, and the small _tick_ of the clock was all he heard. That is, until his bedroom door opened with a high _squeak_, and his seven year old daughter walked in with a teddy bear in her hand and a small blanket on her arm.

"What are you doing up this late?" Darien asked, turning the page of his book.

"I can't sleep," Came the reply as she walked over. He closed his book and set it on the nightstand.

"Can't sleep?" He asked as he lifted her up and next to him onto the bed. She shook her head. "Why not?"

"I'm worried about Mommy." Her auburn eyes began to shine. Serena had been sick with the flu, and, fearful that it would turn into pneumonia, the doctor had wanted to keep her in the hospital overnight to make sure that the worst of the virus was over. Darien had talked with the doctor not two hours before, and she was going to be fine, as long as she wasn't stubborn about taking her medicine (although she always was).

"Mommy will be just fine." He assured his little girl before she started crying.

"You think so?" The small voice asked.

"Absolutely." Darien said and gave her a small smile. "She'll be home tomorrow." He pushed a small strand of loose hair behind her ear. Reeny sniffed.

"Okay…" She was looking down, thinking. Darien knew this gesture well. She was trying to think of an excuse to stay up longer. This was a phase she had been going through lately and he and Serena had been trying to get her out of it. They'd been consistent in her bed time and had tried everything – even threats of small punishment to get her to go to bed and _stay_ there, but nothing seemed to work.

"Why don't you go back to bed now?" He tried.

"But Daddy," Reeny protested. "There's a monster in my room!"

"A monster?" He said, his voice surprised. She nodded furiously.

"Where?"

"Under my bed!"

"Let's see if I can go chase it away," Darien said and carried Reeny to her room. He set Reeny down on her bed and got down on the floor.

"Be careful, Daddy! It has sharp teeth!" Reeny warned. When Darien looked under the bed, he actually saw something moving. He reached in and pulled it out to reveal Reeny's kitten, Diana. The cat yawned as Reeny grabbed her and put her on the bed.

"I guess it was just Diana," Reeny said, defeated.

"Will you go to sleep now?" Darien asked as he pulled back the covers on her bed for her to crawl under.

Reeny sighed. "I don't wanna sleep by myself," she said.

"Well little lady, I think I can do something about that." Reeny's face lit up as he picked her up and went back through the living room and down the hall to his room. He set her down on the bed, turned out the light, and got into bed beside her. She snuggled up close to him and he put his arm around her. _Finally,_ Darien thought. It had been a long day and he was grateful that Reeny hadn't put up as much of a fight as usual to keep from going to bed. But after about a minute of silence, Reeny sat up.

"Daddy, I'm hungry."

Darien inwardly groaned. "You can't be hungry. You had a big dinner."

"That was a long time ago! I need a snack until breakfast." Darien wanted to tell her no, but decided it was best for her to have a snack now rather than her be up for another hour begging for one. "Can I have crackers and peanut butter?"

Wishing his daughter was old enough to handle a knife, he reluctantly got up. They walked to the kitchen and Reeny hummed a song she made up as he got out the crackers and peanut butter. After she had cleaned the plate and drank a glass of milk, they turned out the light and walked back into the bedroom. Reeny climbed onto the bed, but quickly slid off of it.

"I have to use the bathroom," she said and walked into the master bathroom connected to the room. Two minutes later she came out and got back into bed. Darien was already under the blanket and she crawled in next to him. She switched her position about five times before she finally got comfortable, but not five minutes later did she sit up again. "Daddy, I'm thirsty!"

"You just drank an entire glass of milk!" He said, becoming irritated now. This was almost worse than when she was a baby and constantly woke them up with her crying every night!

"But I emptied it all out!" She said. Darien let out a sigh.

"Fine." He said. "Go get the water bottle from your room. But this is the last time you're getting up, understand?"

"Yep!" Reeny said. She was gone for two more minutes, and by that time Darien was almost asleep, having taken advantage of the silence. Reeny shook the bed quite a bit when she got up on it, and shook it even more after taking another few minutes to find a comfortable position, but when she finally did, she snuggled up once again to her father. Darien again put his arm around her, and it wasn't long before her breathing became slow and steady. Before she fell asleep completely, she whispered "I love you, Daddy." He smiled to himself he looked down at her. His baby girl was quite a handful, but he wouldn't trade her for the world.

"I love you too, baby."

**Review please!**

**~AniLovesMe**


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